An independent, privately-owned global alternative asset management company
"Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgement"
Okan A. Altug
Chairman
Origination, Investment Analysis, Structuring, Finance, Insurance
Okan Altug throughout his 30 years of experience within investment banking and asset management, he has contributed various cross-border LBO, M&A and debt transaction. As the founding partner of Daruma Corporate Finance, he acted as the Chairman between 1998-2016, where he was integrally involved within the sourcing and facilitation of various strategic and private-equity backed M&A deals along with debt & mezzanine transactions during his 19 years tenure. In 2017 Okan Altug launched CCI to provide asset management services within the fields of renewable energy and infrastructure. Prior to Daruma, Okan Altug worked at Corporate Finance division of Global Securities (Istanbul) and LBO division of BNP Paribas (NYC). He is currently the Managing Director of Cross Continent Energy Investment Infrastructure Inc, non-executive Chairman of Voltrun Power Solutions.
Having graduated from Saint Michel High School, Altug holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Bogazici University and MBA from Pace University (NYC). He is fluent in English, Turkish and French. He is a member of Canadian Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (CVCA).
Mehmet Ali Deniz
Managing Director
Global Investment House / Managing Director / Investments
Mehmet is an experienced senior leader with more than 20 years of global experience in business development, M&A, equity and debt markets, project finance, strategy and business execution. Mehmet is an analytical executive with deep expertise in global business, project development, financing, and executing at board level, having managed global teams in the U.S., the U.K., Spain, and Turkey. Mehmet has diverse project leadership experience across different industries including ports, infrastructure, energy, hospitality, finance and real estate. He is currently the Chief Strategy Officer of Global Investment Holdings, a Turkish investment portfolio company with more than US $1 billion in assets and operations in 13 countries. Mehmet was formerly Head of Business Development at Global Investment Holdings and Head of Investment Banking at Global Securities in İstanbul. He received his MBA and B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Bilkent University in Turkey and completed the Global Executive Leadership Program at Yale University in 2017
Warren Smulowitz
Managing Director
Investor Relations, Structuring, Finance, Insurance
Warren has been managing a boutique private equity firm in Canada since 2018. He is sector agnostic and driven by risk mitigation and value creation. In 2013 Warren relocated back to Toronto from New York City to lead a wealth management and investment banking practice at BMO Nesbitt Burns. He specialized in a hybrid investment banking platform focusing on cash management, hedge funds, private equity investments, and investment due diligence. While at BMO Nesbitt Burns Warren built the largest U.S. book of business in the firm, and was named top producer for two years in a row.
Warren previously consulted for a large European family office where he focused on investment banking in North America, and was responsible for acquisitions, dispositions, asset management, due diligence, and initiating debt and equity transactions.
Warren is an Executive MPA candidate at NYU in Financial Management and Public Finance. Warren was as an active Board Member and Trustee to Materials for the Arts (“MFTA”), a division of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee medal for his service and contribution to the Canadian Coalition Against Terrorism.
Warren lives in Toronto with his wife and three children.
Ali Yanar
Managing Director
CEO, Ilk Construction Inc.
Over 20 years of experience in construction, business development, and project management.
Managing Director at Ilk Construction, a global EPC contractor covering infrastructure, marine, oil and gas, and civil construction projects across a variety of jurisdictions.
Ali is also the Country Manager at Ilk for Turkmenistan and has served as the Project Sponsor for numerous contracts by multinational conglomerates and strategic groups.
Daniel Shapira
Managing Director
Legal, Risk and Compliance
Daniel is head of the Commercial Real Estate Law Group at Wildeboer Dellelce LLP in Canada. Daniel’s practice involves property development, sales, acquisitions, joint ventures, commercial leasing and financing transactions, including land development and construction loans, acquisition facilities and operating facilities. He also practises in the Debt Products Group and acts on a wide array of real estate capital markets transactions. Daniel also advises underwriters on a variety of capital market transactions involving numerous real estate investment trusts. Previously, Daniel practised commercial real estate at Goodmans LLP for eight years and has been a governor of Mount Sinai Hospital since 2004.
Ugur Kilic
Managing Director
Solar Techologies, EPC & Operations and Maintenance
Ugur is former Country Manager of Yingli Solar in Istanbul, Turkey and has more than 20 years of experience in energy, electronics and banking technologies in Turkey and Germany. After leaving Yingli, Ugur focused on developing power plants, especially solar, completing several projects in rooftop solar and in e-mobility globally. Ugar expertise covers both early project development and engineering, procurement and construction (“EPC”), as well as operations and maintenance (“O&M”). Ugur has been involved in numerous other ventures in sustainability and renewable energy, across e-vehicles, e-charging networks, and energy storage solutions. Ugur acts as advisor to various renewable energy companies developing projects globally. Ugur obtained a BSc. in Electronics and Communication Engineering at Yildiz Technical University in Turkey and received an executive MBA degree from Boston Business School. Ugur is fluent in English, German and Turkish.
